James Kirkup is The Telegraph's Executive Editor (Politics). He was previously the Telegraph's Political Editor and has worked at Westminster since 2001.

Has David Cameron dropped a hint to Sir David Nicholson? And will the NHS chief listen?

Two weeks ago, speaking in India, David Cameron said this about Sir David Nicholson and the calls for his resignation as NHS Chief Executive:

“We should not be seeking scapegoats. To highlight David
Nicholson in this way would be seeking a scapegoat. I don't think he should
be made a scapegoat.

“He has properly acknowledged and apologised the mistakes the regional
health authority made when he ran it for that short period of time.

“I have worked with him at close quarters. I am impressed with the grip and grasp he has over the NHS, and his love for it.”

Today in the Commons, Mr Cameron said this:

“What I would say about David Nicholson is that he has very frankly and very candidly apologised and acknowledged the mistakes that were made and I think it is an important point because I think that everyone has to think of their responsibilities with regards to the dreadful events that happened at the Staffordshire hospital, including the fact that part of the problem was people following a very top-down target-led agenda which led to patient care being put on the back-burner.

“Now David Nicholson has made his apology and wants to get on with his job of running an excellent national health service and other people, frankly, should be thinking about their positions too.”

A lot of people will look at those two, rather different, positions and conclude that as this story persists, the sands are shifting, and not in Sir David’s favour. That's hardly surprising, given the quiet body of opinion in the Conservative Party that suggests his time is up.

Perhaps Mr Cameron is coming to agree with his colleagues who now believe that the best possible outcome here is for Sir David to fall his own sword and depart in a vaguely dignified way.

Perhaps, but the Prime Minister's position remains fair from clear. And that ambiguity will only intensify the questions that now trouble senior people in Whitehall: will Sir David get the message? Or will he hang on to the bitter end?